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Get Ready For Power Blackout Tomorrow !!

Tue Nov 12, 2013 4:26 pm

For those living in the U.S & Canada....

In the unlikely event of an EMP attack, it seems that nearly everyone from former DHS director, Janet Napolitano to former CIA director, James Woolsey have discussed the possibility of a grid take down through an EMP attack.

Further, the Nuclear Energy Regulatory Commission in their,NERC PowerPoint presentation, stated that one of the possible outcomes of an attack will be a “prolonged blackout…”

Power grid vulnerabilities are finally garnering some attention by government officials.

An electrical grid joint drill simulation is being planned in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Thousands of utility workers, FBI agents, anti-terrorism experts, governmental agencies, and more than 150 private businesses are involved in the November power grid drill.

The downed power grid simulation will reportedly focus on both physical and cyber attacks. The antiquated electrical system in the United States has been one of the most neglected pieces of integral infrastructure.

The EMP Commission, created by Congress, released a report in 2008 calling for increased planning and testing, and a stockpiling of needed repair items.

The SHIELD Act, which is stalled in Congress, is the first serious piece of legislation in many years to attempt to address the vulnerabilities of the power grid in. As previously reported by Off The Grid News, a recent American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) report gave the power grid a “D+” when grading various pieces of infrastructure and public services in the United States.

The disaster drill is being described as a crisis practice unlike anything the real power grid has ever experienced. The GridEX II drill Nov. 13-14 will focus primarily on how governments will react if the electrical grid fails and, for instance, the food supply chain collapses.

American utility companies are responsible for running approximately 5,800 power plants and about 450,000 high-voltage transmission lines, controlled by various devices which have been put into place over the past decades. Some of the utility companies which oversee the power grid reportedly use “antique computer protocols” which are “probably” safe from cyber hackers,” The New York Times reported.

The Times said experts call the power grid the nation’s “glass jaw.” Even the military gets 99 percent of its power the same way everyday citizens get it – from commercially run companies.

Harness the power of the sun when the power goes out…

“If an adversary lands a knockout blow, [experts] fear, it could black out vast areas of the continent for weeks; interrupt supplies of water, gasoline, diesel fuel and fresh food; shut down communications; and create disruptions of a scale that was only hinted at by Hurricane Sandy and the attacks of Sept. 11,” The Times said.

Hebert also noted that during prior power grid drills, the scenario assumed the system would be up and running again relatively quickly after an attack. This drill will assume it’s out much longer.

If the power grid fails, a lack of electricity and food delivery are only the first wave of troubles facing the American people. Police could face major problems with civil unrest. Of course, there also would not be any electric heating or cooling, which easily could lead to many deaths depending on the season.

A 2012 report by the National Academy of Science said terrorists could cripple the nation by damaging or destroying hard-to-replace components, some of which aren’t even made in the United States.

“Of particular concern are giant custom-built transformers that increase the voltage of electricity to levels suited for bulk transmission and then reduce voltage for distribution to customers,” The Times said in a summary of the report. “… Replacing them can take many months.”

Said Clark W. Gellings, a researcher at the Electric Power Research Institute, “I don’t think we pay quite enough attention to the technology fixes that would allow us to make the power system more resilient.”

This drill is scheduled to begin November 13, 2013. What is not being discussed is how much of the nation will lose power or, since it is a three-nation drill (United States and parts of Canada and Mexico), the entire U.S. will go “offline” so to speak. What we are told is that all food and water transport will stop, business and banking will stop, transportation and shopping will stop, communications will stop, and there will be no heat in homes, schools or places of business. We are also told this will only be a “simulation”. As such, it is best to be prepared one way or another, just in case.

Therefore, everyone will have to decide whether to go to work, whether to send their kids to school or have them possibly locked down, and they will have to decide whether they will have non-perishable foods and water on hand, alternative lighting and heating, medical supplies, etc., for what will likely be ordered sheltering in place.

Therefore, a few suggestions come to mind:

Have at least two weeks food and water stored for all family members and pets, preferably one month’s storage.

Have warm clothing, warm blankets and sleeping bags, gloves and hats.

Have extra medical supplies and prescription drugs if you know you will run out during mid-November. Have a quality First Aid kit, stocked.

Have extra firewood and a place to possibly cook outdoors. You might want to include a good tent and/or large tarps, ropes, bungee cords, and a good ax and wood saw.

Do NOT throw away yard sticks, burnable trash, cardboard, etc. Store them in boxes in the garage or a utility shed. If you do not have either, ask a neighbor if you can temporarily store them in their garage or shed. Buy wood matches and keep them in zip lock bags or plastic containers with lids.

You will have to decide whether you are going to send your children school. If so, pack food, water, and dress them very warmly and prepare them in advance that you may have no ability to contact them and that they may have to stay at school for several days.

Fill you cars with gasoline prior to November 10th, and try to store extra gasoline in a safe place.

If you can afford to do so, buy a Big Buddy propane heater, three or four 20 pound propane tanks (filled), and an adapter hose for the 20 pound tanks.

Have paper plates, paper and foam cups, plastic utensils, a good can opener or two, a good all-purpose tool, and keep all store bags.

Have plenty of toilet paper, sanitary supplies for girls and women, hand soaps, paper and hand towels, and have plenty of small plastic or grocery store bags.

Have several quality flashlights, A LOT of batteries. Several old-fashioned oil lamps with wicks and clear glass chimneys and a gallon or two of lamp oil will provide good light and quite a bit of additional heat.